Container for storing perishable merchandise



I. HILL CONTAINER FOR STORING PERISHABLE MERCHANDISE Filed Aug. 9, 19502 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

L m H CONTAINER FOR STORING PERISHABLE MERCHANDISE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Aug. 9, 1930 INVENTOR A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 2, 1933 PATENT OFFICE IRVING HILL, F LAWRENCE, KANSAS,ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

THE LAWRENCE PAPER CCMFANY, OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS, A CORPORATION OF KANSASCONTAINER FOR STORING PERISI-IABLE MERCHANDISE Application filed August9, 1930. Serial No. 474,097.

l lated to enhance the effect of treatment such as refrigeration, and toreduce the time, cost and hazards of refrigerating contents of boxes.

In accomplishingthese and other ob ects of my invention, 1 have providedimproved details of structure, the preferred forms of which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a box member embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of a pair of boxes arranged intiers.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross section of a tier of boxes illustratingthe supporting function of partly opened cover flange.

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary perspective view of a corner of a boxillustrating the side and end flaps.

5 is a plan view of a blank cut and scored. for forming a box therefrom.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the side edge of the blank.

Referring in detail to the drawings:

1 and 2 designate body walls of a box, comprising in the illustratedexample, vertical side and end members preferably integral respectivelywith flaps 3 and 1 formed on one edge of said members and defined byinner and outer score lines 5 and 6 spaced to provide relatively narrowwebs 7 and form flap hinges.

Spaced score lines 8 and 9 producing webs 10 define flaps 11 at theopposite edges of the m end members, and score lines 12 and 13 spaced bywebs ll form hinges for flaps 15 at the edges of the side membersopposite to the flaps 3.

In the drawings the flaps 3 and 4 comprise lower edge flaps foldedinwardly on the inner score lines 5 to form the bottom of the box, theside and end wall flaps overlapping and being secured together in anysuitable manner, for example by stitching.

The extensions forming the flaps 11 on the upper edges of the endwallsmay be moved hingedly on either the lines 8 or 9 or both, in eitherdirection, to partly cover the open upper end of the box for storage orshipment, or to extend substantially parallel with the end walls outsideof the box as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The end flaps 11 when hinged outwardly on the lines 8 and 9 preferablyhave sub stantially the same length as the height of the end walls, thebottom being flaps, are folded on the inner score lines 5, and thuscover the same and are adapted to form reinforcement or stiffeningelements for the ends of the box as later described.

The several flaps are provided with longitudinal parallel lines ofscoring 16 and 17 preferably applied on each side of the median lines ofsaid flaps to define outer hinged portions or wings 18 adapted to befolded inwardly or outwardly over the inner portions or bodies of theflaps. In the illustrated usage, the wings of theside cover flaps arehingedly adjusted outwardly over the inwardly horizontally arrangedcover flap bodies and the outer edge portions of the wings overlie thevertical side walls with the edges of said wings substantiallyregistering with the outer faces of said side Walls as illustrated inFig. 3. Clips 19 are mounted over the outwardly folded end flaps toengage the inner faces of the end walls and outwardly presented faces ofthe flaps to retain the outbent flaps in engagement with the end Wallsand cause the lower edges of said flaps to lie substantially in registrywith the lower edges of the side and end walls, as'illustrated in'Fig.1.

Clips 19 are also employed to anchor the hinged wings, being applied tothe fold edges of the cover flaps to hold the wings in engagement withthe bodies and retain the flaps in adjusted position as illustrated inFigs. 1 and 3 to form an opening in the top of the box and providesupport for a superimposed second box.

The clips have resilient arms 20, and body portions or webs 21 adaptedto the width of the webs of the flap hinges to permit the clips to bemounted over the relatively wide hinges formed "by the spaced scorelines, whereby the bodies of the clips may engage the hinges of theflaps.

The entire box is preferably made from a single blank of material suchas corrugated fibre board, as illustrated in Fig.5, wherein the scorelines 8 and 9 defining the end flaps are aligned with the score lines 12and 13 defining the side flaps, and may be applied by continuousoperations on longitudinal lines ofthe-blank. The combination of scorelines on the cover flaps provide continuous lines'similar to the lines 5and 6. 'Corresponding score lines on the flaps are also aligned, wherebythe blank is formedsubstantially symmetrically, and'the flaps may beemployed either as bottom or cover members. Slits such as 22 and 23 areformed laterally in theblank to separate the bottom and cover end flapsfrom the bottom and cover side flaps respectively, said slits 22preferably ter urinating, in. the webs between the'inner and outer scorelines that define the flaps 3 and 4,- and the slits 23 passing throughthe outer score lines 9, and 13 and webs 10 and 1 1 to the inner scorelines 8 and 12. The cover flaps are-thus hinged to the side and endwalls by the portions of the blank to which said inner score lines areapplied, and the flaps may be pivoted on the hinges on either side ofthe webs upwardly or downwardly irrespective of thedirection in whichsaid flapsgwere hingedly moved withrespect to the vertical walls. a

In using the invention, boxescontaining merchandise may be arranged inpartly open position with the end flaps clamped to the end wallsandtheside flap wings laid back over the flap bodies and clamped thereto.The" boxes may then be piled in tiers, the side flapsof a lower boxsupporting an upper boxsecurely, but in slightly spaced relation withthe upper edgesof the end walls of the The folded flaps illustrated,however, hold the boxes apart enough to permit cold air to circulate tothe contents of tiered boxes, thus materially facilitating freezing, andproducing a product having improved quality.

Boxes further have particular advantage for packaging perishableproducts requiring refrigeration, for example, dressed poultry portionssuch as the breasts of poultry, being pressed by the side cover flaps,whereby the condition and appearance of the packaged goods may beimproved due to piling the boxe in storage while the refrigeration ofthe products is expedited and an improved quality of product isobtained.

The cover flaps may be provided with hinges or creases such as scorelines to form folded supports for spacing an upper from a lower box to agreater or less extent.

Poles or the like may be employed with the boxes shown to increase theventilating space between boxes, though ordinarily the flaps willprovide sufficient spacing effect.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A box comprising a bottom, end and side members provided with coverflaps, selected flaps being scored to provide hinged wings and formsupports for a superimposed box, and means for anchoring said flaps inhingedly adjusted position.

2. A box having vertical walls including a wall having an upper edgecover flap hinged thereto and having a hinge spaced from said wall toprovide a flap wing hingedly adjustable for support by said wall toprovide a support for a superimposed box, and a clip engageable withselected portions of said hinge for retaining said wing in boxsupportingposition.

3. A box including a pair of end and side walls, cover flaps hinged tothe upper edges of one pair of walls and having hinged portions spacedfrom said walls to form wings arranged to be folded back upon the coverflaps to provide ventilating passages therebetween and above the otherof said pair of walls when a superimposed box is mounted thereon.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

IRVING HILL.

lower box, whereby air may have relatively freeaccess to the boxes.Boxes stored in the manner indicated will take up relatively little morespace than closed 1 boxes, the coverflaps are secured against possibledamage and the boxes are materially strengthened for piling'in tiers.

7 Ordinary closed boxes piled in tiers retard desired quick chilling,tending to permit destruction of the bloom on the products, or to createtwo large crystals within the product frozen, and thus reduce thequality.

